Rotarian Sue Maes to retire in October from K-State

Global Campus Dean Sue Maes to retire in October

Sue Maes, who has served as dean of Global Campus for the last 10 years and has served in other capacities at the university for more than 40 years, has announced her retirement effective in October 2017.

Maes has served the university in many roles and always with distinction and creativity. Her leadership and vision for adult education, access to education and collaborative partnerships will be greatly missed. She is an expert on building new academic programs and fostering institutional collaboration, both nationally and globally. Her network across higher education is unequaled.

Under Maes' leadership, the Division of Continuing Education was re-envisioned into the Global Campus, an important campus for K-State that extends the reach of the university by supporting more than 70 online degrees at the undergraduate and graduate level, as well as certificate and endorsement programs. K-State Global Campus also serves learners through summer school, evening college, intersession, UFM Community Learning Center, conferences and professional programs, programs at Fort Riley and Fort Leavenworth, and partnerships with all community colleges in Kansas and many outside the state.

During Maes' tenure as dean of K-State Global Campus, the number of students graduating with a degree earned online has more than doubled. Financial support for creating new online programs and unique conferences has grown and the number of scholarships awarded to part-time, online, degree-seeking students has increased sevenfold. International programming during Maes' time as dean has brought recognition to the university and earned Maes the 2014 University Professional and Continuing Education International Educator of the Year award.

Maes has received numerous awards for her outstanding work in the field of continuing education, including the prestigious Julius M. Nolte Award for Extraordinary Leadership from the University Professional and Continuing Education Association for exceptional and longstanding contributions to the field of continuing education. She also received the Richard Jonsen Award for Outstanding Contributions to the E-learning Community, the highest national award given by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education Cooperative for Education Technologies. She has been inducted into the International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame and served as president of the University Professional and Continuing Education Association.

Maes started at K-State almost 50 years ago as executive director of UFM Community Learning Center. She has served as assistant dean and director of academic outreach in the Division of Continuing Education and senior development officer at K-State's Educational Communications Center.

Maes demonstrated her decadeslong commitment to advancing rural education, community development and partnership development by co-founding the Great Plains Interactive Distance Education Alliance, the University Engineering Alliance and the Rural Clearinghouse for Lifelong Education and Development. She also served as co-director of the Institute for Academic Alliances at K-State.

Locally, Maes is deeply connected to the community, helping to found the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation and the Fairy Godmothers. She is a graduate of Leadership Manhattan and was named a distinguished alumna of the program.

Maes received a bachelor's degree in social science, a master's degree in family and child development, and a doctorate in counseling and educational psychology, all from K-State. She also participated in Harvard University's Institute for Management of Lifelong Education.

Mark your calendars now, as a reception to honor Dean Maes has been set for 3-5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 25, in the K-State Alumni Center Ballroom. More details to come.

One does not replace Sue Maes, but a search for a new dean of Global Campus is starting, and more details will be announced soon.